News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-03-24
MR.. GRENFELL'S ROMANCE.
A Famous Missionary who Married one of
Africa's Dusky Daughters.

Probably no missionary in the world
has been so prominently before the pub
lie in the past two years as the Rev.
George Grenfell of the Baptist Congo
| Missions
Perhaps few of the thousands who
have read the reports of his interesting
| journeys in Africa are aware that MI.
Grenfell, who is thorough Engllshman,
Is the husband of native of Africa
His wife is a colored woman, originally
heather, whose tribe has for many
years inhabited the Atlantic coast, a
little north of the Congo. He is per-
haps the only white missionary in Africa
who has married native
This strange marriage is said to have
come about in this way: Few mission
aries IN Africa have had Grerfell's large
and varied experience, though he is
still in the prime of life. Before we
heard of him on the Congo at all he told
US much about the CamarOons country,
which the Germans have since anne ed.
Grenfell is one of the very few men who
feem to be perfectly adapted for such a
life as he is leading. He loves his wild
surroundings, he loves the explorers
toilsome life, he seems to endure the
climate as well as a native, and his heart
is thoroughly enlisted in the work of
Christian missions. While geographers
have been reading and writing about
the new regions and tribes he has reveal
ed to the world, he has looked upon
these new countries chiefly as new fields
for missionary enterprises.
Grenfell made up his mind long ago
that he was destined to live and die in
Africa. He decided, it is said, after
long reflection, that it would greatly
impair his usefulness if he took a wife
from among the -fair daughters of his
native land. He had good reason to
doubt that he would be lucky enough to
find a white woman who could endure
as well as he the climate of the torrid
zone. He had not the slightest desire
to marry anybody whose lite or health
would be sacrificed if ne took her to
Africa, or for whom he might have to
sacrifice his life-work by going back to
with her. He therefore decid
ed when he married to wed a native of
the country.
In the course of time Grenfell met his
tate at the mission station and trading
post of Kabinda, on the coast not far
north of the mouth of the Congo. He
raw among the mission converts a bright
young woman who had received a fair
education in the mission school of Ka.
binda. She was comely girl. She
had been instructed for wears in the
arts of housewifery by the mission ladies,
dressed in the garb of her civilized !
sisters, was neat and industrious. and a
devout Christian. She was, in fact, in |
her changed condition, one of the best |
products of missionary labor Grenfell |
believed she would make him a good |
helpmeet in his future arduous work as
4 pioneer missionary. In due time they |
were married, and from that day to this, |
Trenfell's friends say, he has had no |
reason to regret the very unusual choice |
be made.
it can be said on the authority of |
Henry NJ. Stanley, that the two babies |
who have been born to Mr.. and Mrs. |
1renfell are beautiful little children"
The home of the Grenfells is on Stanley
Pool, but until the past year they have
lot been there much of the time. Mrs.
Irenfell and one of the children accom-
panied the missionary on some of the
adventurous journeys in which he has
explored over 5000 miles of the naviga-
de waters of the Congo basin. She sat
and very comfortable be
lind the wire screen that warded off the
howers of arrows which were launched
t the lit steamer Peace by the hostile
latives of the Mobangi River.
A writer, who evidently had not heard
# Mr.. Grenfell's little romance, recent
y mentioned as proof of the fact that
vhiSe ladies can retain their health a
igor on the Con 20 that the missionary,
was accompanied on his long
by his excellent wife